Studier af soldater 1830 - 1832

"Studier af soldater", or "Studies of Soldiers," was made by Martinus Rørbye on paper with pen and watercolor. Rørbye created this piece at a time of great nationalistic sentiment in Denmark. This sketch offers a glimpse into the artist's attempt to capture the common soldier. The soldiers standing together are rendered with more detail and the ones sketched in the background suggest the ubiquity of military presence and perhaps the looming specter of conflict. Their uniforms speak to the rigid structures of military life, yet the individuality of each figure hints at personal stories and identities subsumed within the collective. It invites us to reflect on the roles individuals play within larger national narratives and how these are shaped by duty, identity, and the ever-present possibility of war. What did it mean to be a soldier then, what does it mean to serve now?